BASINGSTOKE bowler Nicole Rogers, who last month became the World Ladies Under 25 champion, just missed out making it double as she lost in the final of the English Championships.

The top 16 English bowlers qualified through regional events and matches were decided by two sets of nine ends, with a three end tie-break if required.

Rogers beat Ashford's Hazel Larkin and Solihull's Emily Kernick in a tie-break to make the final four and then cruised past Jasmine Wilson from Huntingdon.

This set up a final against England team mate Devon Cooper. In a titanic battle, the first set saw Cooper win it 7-6 and the second set was just as tight. In the final end and with her last wood, Rogers needed to send the jack into the ditch to take the match to a tie break.

However, she looked in disbelief as the jack went sideways rather than backwards and she lost the match.

Afterwards, Rogers said “I’m gutted not to win the double but I have to congratulate Devon on a superb game.”

This weekend, the Basingstoke bowler is competing in the Champion of Champions finals in Hayling Island and a week goes to Belfast to represent England in the British Isles Under-25 Internationals.